The technology of the present disclosure relates to a sheet feeding device and an image forming apparatus provided with the sheet feeding device.
In the related art, a sheet feeding device mounted to an image forming apparatus is known as a sheet feeding device for feeding a sheet. The sheet feeding device includes a sheet feeding cassette removably mounted to an apparatus body of an image forming apparatus, a pickup roller disposed in the apparatus body, a sheet feeding roller and a retard roller. Sheets are accommodated within the sheet feeding cassette. As the pickup roller is rotated, a sheet is fed in a sheet conveyance direction.
The sheet fed by the pickup roller is carried into a sheet feeding nip formed by the sheet feeding roller and the retard roller. By the rotation of the sheet feeding roller, the sheet is further conveyed toward the downstream side in the sheet conveyance direction.
In the image forming apparatus of this kind, a sheet conveyance path is often formed to extend along the mounting direction of the sheet feeding cassette within the apparatus body. In the image forming apparatus, a sheet scattering prevention member capable of protruding into and retracting from the sheet conveyance path is provided in order to prevent a sheet from scattering during the mounting process of the sheet feeding cassette and entering the sheet feeding nip.